February 24, 2021

The Power of Creating a Life Plan and How to Get Started in 5 Easy Steps

Here is a question to ponder: at the end of your life, what would you want people to say about you?

That you were kind? That you were successful in business? That you were a great mother or father? The legacy that you leave behind is important. If you want to be known for something you have to start taking the steps to reach that desired state now.

What is a Life Plan

Today we are going to discuss creating a life plan and how it can lead to the decisions you make for the rest of your life. A life plan is a document that helps you clearly lay out your goals, both big and small. It gives you something to revisit regularly and see the progress you are making.

Not only does it help you focus on your goals and energizes you, but it gives you a passion for how to live your life. Many people settle in a career or even decide to live in a certain city out of convenience. A life plan helps you see where you are today (ex: a job that is not in your desired industry) and points you toward the steps you need to take to reach where you want to be.

Your life plan starts at the end of your life by first determining the legacy you want to leave. Thinking about the end lets you reverse engineer a path that can help you get there. You have the ability to make decisions that will lead to the legacy you desire to leave.

How to Create Your Life Plan

Now that you know exactly what a life plan is, it’s time to create your own.

Step 1: Download the Clear Function Life Plan Template

This is an easy way to organize your goals. You can edit it each year as you shift your priorities and major life changes happen. As your family grows or your career changes, your life plan will mimic it. Don’t be afraid to see changes in your life plan; as long as you are consistently working toward completing goals, you will stay on track.

Step 2: Determine Your Life Goals

Simply put, these are things you would like to accomplish in your life. They are big things for you to work towards and accomplish such as getting married, having a family, or starting your own business.

It can be easier to break up your life goals into smaller categories.

Career: What is your end goal in your career? Do you want to retire early or work as long as you can? What position do you want to hold?
Personal: This includes your physical, mental, and spiritual health. Examine your goals and where you want to be in each of those areas.
Family/Social: Where do you want to ultimately end up in your relationships? This could include your desire to get married, have kids, and build solid friend groups.
Financial: Pay off all your debt or have enough money to buy a new house? These are financial goals that you can begin to work toward now.
Dreams: This is where you record the dreams you have, no matter how crazy they may seem! Travel the world? Own a luxury car? Your dreams may feel unattainable now, but as you work through the life plan they will become easier.

Step 3: Map Out Your 1, 5, and 10 Year Plan

Now that you have your life goals, it is time to determine how you will accomplish them. You should be working towards them each year, making small or big steps. We will use running or owning your own business and creating a 1 million dollar profit as our life goal example.

1 Year: Your yearly goals will change the most. Each time you review your plan you will want to update your yearly goals.
- Example: Develop an idea for a product or service to sell, work with a business coach to expand on your idea, purchase a website domain.
5 Years: Bigger goals that take more resources and longer time to accomplish.
- Example: Find investors for your new business, leave your current job, and begin full-time work as an entrepreneur.
10 Years: Complex goals that consist of a lot of different moving parts. These goals require help and are dependent on completing your yearly goals.
- Example: Having a storefront with 10 plus employees and making a consistent profit each year.

If you want to continue to map out the rest of your life, feel free to do so! You could do a 20 year, or 30 year plan – it is your life plan so it can be customized!

Step 4: Develop Daily Goals

Daily goals are little steps you take each day that help to accomplish your life goals. By accomplishing daily goals you are always keeping your life plan at the front of your mind. Go through each area of your life and determine daily goals that coordinate. It takes 66 days for a new habit to become automatic meaning that your daily goals will play a big part in shaping the rest of your life!

Example: reach out to a new contact each day, spend one hour on marketing your business, mentor an employee.

Who Can Help You?

Surrounding yourself with people who can push you to accomplish your goals is essential. When you feel like you are taking on the world on your own it can feel overwhelming. Pick two or three people to be your accountability partners. Share your life plan with them and ask that they encourage you as you work to accomplish your daily and lifelong goals.

Celebrate Your Wins

If you take away anything from this article it should be to celebrate your wins. Accomplishing your goals is nothing to take lightly and when you do complete them they should be celebrated. This could be something simple like treating yourself to a nice meal or for bigger goals it could be planning a weekend getaway. When you celebrate your wins it renews your passions and makes completing your goals seem easier.